tap

1[intransitive,transitive]to hit someone or something quickly and lightlytap (away) (at something)Someone tapped at the door.He was busy tapping away at his computer.tap somebody/somethingRalph tapped me on the shoulder.

2[transitive,intransitive]tap (something)if you tap your fingers, feet, etc. or they tap, you hit them gently against a table, the floor, etc., for example to the rhythm of musicHe kept tapping his fingers on the table.The music set everyone's feet tapping.

3[intransitive,transitive]to make use of a source of energy, knowledge, etc. that already existstap somethingWe need to tap the expertise of the people we already have.tap into somethingThe movie seems to tap into a general sentimentality about animals.

4[transitive]tap somethingto fit a device to a telephone so that someone's calls can be listened to secretlyHe was convinced his phone was being tapped.see alsowiretapping

5[transitive]tap somethingto cut into a tree in order to get liquid from it

6[transitive,usually passive]tap somebodyto choose someone to do a particular jobRichards has been tapped to replace the retiring chairperson.